1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a touch input device, a vehicle including the same, and a method of manufacturing the vehicle, and more particularly, to a touch input device which is capable of forming electrodes without using an adhesion method, a vehicle including the touch input device, and a method of manufacturing the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic devices have been manufactured as development of electronic and communication technologies has progressed. Currently, the importance of design quality of electronic devices is growing in addition to user convenience. As an example, the diversification of input units represented by a keyboard, a keypad, or the like is becoming more important.
The input unit is typically used in various kinds of display systems, such as a portable terminal, a laptop computer, a smart phone, a smart pad, a smart television (TV), and the like, all of which provide a user with information. Recently, techniques for inputting command signals using touch operations have been widely implemented in place of methods for inputting command signals using physical keys, dials, and the like.
A touch input device, which is an input device comprising a user interface combined with a communication device using various kinds of displays, enables an interface between information being displayed and a user when the user directly contacts or approaches a touch pad or a touch screen using input means, such as his/her finger or a touch pen. Since the user can manipulate the touch input device only by contacting the touch input device with a finger or a touch pen, the touch input device can be easily used by men and women of all ages. Accordingly, the touch input device is used in various devices, such as Automated Teller Machine (ATM), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, etc., and also applied to various fields, such as banks, public offices, sightseeing, traffic guidance, etc.
Recently, touch input devices have been applied to products such as to health- or medical-related equipment and vehicles. Particularly, utilization of touch panels is increasing since it can be used together with a touch screen or independently in a display system. Also, techniques for inputting gestures or moving a point using touch operations have been developed.
Touch input devices are capable of processing touch inputs through various implementations including a resistive method, a capacitive method, a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) method, and a transmitter method. A touch input device using the capacitive method typically includes a type of forming electrode patterns intersecting with each other, and detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes when an input means such as a finger contacts any one(s) of them to detect a position at which an input occurred. Also, there is a type of applying the same in-phase potential to both ends of a transmissive conductive film, and detecting weak current flowing when capacitance is formed by an input means such as a finger contacting or approaching the transmissive conductive film to detect a position at which an input occurred.
Generally, the touch input device has a 2-panel laminate structure in which a first panel which includes a plurality of first sensing patterns is arranged in a first direction (e.g., an x-axis direction) on a first substrate, a plurality of first metal patterns to electrically connect the first sensing patterns to a sensor circuit for calculating the positions of the first sensing patterns is attached on a second panel which includes a plurality of second sensing patterns arranged in a second direction (e.g., a y-axis direction) on a second substrate, and a plurality of second metal patterns electrically connect the second sensing patterns to a sensor circuit for calculating the positions of the second sensing patterns (e.g., using an adhesive).
Typical methods of manufacturing a touch input device include using Indium Thin Oxide (ITO) that is a transparent electrode to be applied to a touch panel, using a metal mesh, and using a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB). However, the typical methods require many processing stages, complicated processing, and high manufacturing costs. Particularly, using ITO causes a rise in product price due to the use of highly priced rare-earth materials. Furthermore, the typical methods are vulnerable to external vibrations or impacts or high temperature since they use adhesion methods. Accordingly, the durability of products deteriorates such that it is difficult to apply the methods to devices accompanying vibrations and high temperature.